The present invention relates to control panels having integrally associated therewith a control device and particularly a device for electrically controlling the operation of remotely located servo actuators for performing an appliance control function. Such panel assemblies are utilized in household appliances such as clothes washing machines, clothes driers and dishwashers. Heretofore, the user control panel for such appliances has utilized discrete control devices such as programmer/timers, pressure switches electrically operated water valve, and other control devices attached to a control panel which is in turn attached to the cabinet or housing for the appliance and more commonly on a control console. The control devices typically have a user operated control shaft with a knob or lever or similar actuator extending through an aperture in the control panel so as to be accessible to the user from the exterior of the control console. The particular control devices mounted on the panel are discretely wired to the servo actuators by individual conductors through a wiring harness which typically extends from the interior of the control console into the main cabinet or housing for the appliance.
The aforesaid arrangement of mounting discrete control devices on a panel requires an attachment of control position indicia on the exterior face of the control panel for user identification of the position of the control device actuator. Typically indicia are provided by decals, stickers or a separate metal foil panel strip provided over the exterior face of the control panel. This arrangement has proven to be costly in mass production of household appliances in terms of complexity and the time required for assembly of the plurality of individual electrical wire leads and connectors required for hookup of the control devices to the appliance wiring harness.
It has thus been desired to provide a way or means of assembling control devices to a control panel for an electrically operated appliance which is relatively low in manufacturing cost and is simple to assemble during manufacture of the appliance and is reliable in service.